In the field of hemodialysis, hollow filament dialyzators specifically of cellulose have succeeded worldwide in contrast to those of so-called flat and tube membranes, since they clearly possess a series of advantages, not only with regard to their space-saving construction, high efficiency and easy manipulability, but also insofar their behavior to human blood by means of well regulated flow distribution.
Cellulocic hollow filaments such as e.g., those which have been prepared according to the cuoxam or cupramonium technique are afflicted, however, with the disadvantage that their interior side (=subsequent blood side) is not exposed during the manufacturing process to the equally intensive washing procedure but can be washed practically only from the outer side. This factor leads to a difference in the residual content of extractable yet unknown substances in a molecular weight range between about 1000 and 100,000.
Conjectures have though been expressed that this is possibly responsible for incidentally occurring anaphylactic or other incompatibility reactions upon dialysis patients either alone or in connection with ethylene oxide, i.e., a sterilization means.